United States v. Lucas

338 F. Supp. 3d 139
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. New York
DecidedOctober 5, 2018
Docket1:17-CR-00129 EAW
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 338 F. Supp. 3d 139 (United States v. Lucas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Lucas, 338 F. Supp. 3d 139 (W.D.N.Y. 2018).

Opinion

ELIZABETH A. WOLFORD, United States District Judge

INTRODUCTION

Defendant Richard Lucas ("Defendant") stands accused by way of a one-count Indictment returned on July 11, 2017, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. (Dkt. 18). Defendant was initially charged with co-defendant Dominic Daniels, but Mr. Daniels pleaded guilty on July 19, 2018. (Dkt. 91). Defendant's trial is scheduled to commence on November 7, 2018. (Dkt. 76).

Presently before the Court is Defendant's omnibus pretrial motion seeking *144several forms of relief, including a motion to suppress evidence and statements obtained on May 15, 2017, when Defendant encountered law enforcement at a hotel parking lot, fled from the scene, ran through traffic on a busy roadway before being apprehended, and subsequently provided post-arrest statements during a law enforcement interview at the police station. For the reasons set forth below, the Court denies Defendant's motion to suppress. (Dkt. 35). In addition, as set forth below, the Court denies without prejudice the other outstanding relief requested by Defendant in his omnibus motion (Dkt. 35), and the Court grants the Government's request for reciprocal discovery (Dkt. 42).

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On December 5, 2017, Defendant filed an omnibus pretrial motion seeking several forms of relief, including a motion to suppress evidence and statements obtained on May 15, 2017. (Dkt. 35). The Government filed papers in opposition to Defendant's motion on February 2, 2018. (Dkt. 42). On February 9, 2018, Defendant filed reply papers in further support of his motion. (Dkt. 44). On February 23, 2018, Defendant filed a supplemental motion to suppress, related to evidence obtained during an encounter with law enforcement on July 20, 2015, at the San Diego International Airport. (Dkt. 50). The Government filed papers in opposition to the supplemental motion on March 2, 2018. (Dkt. 53).

This Court initially referred all pre-trial matters to Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A) and (B). (Dkt. 19). Oral argument was held before Judge McCarthy on March 27, 2018, and an evidentiary hearing was scheduled to commence on May 7, 2018, concerning Defendant's motion to suppress evidence and statements from his July 20, 2015, and May 15, 2017, encounters with law enforcement. (Dkt. 59; Dkt. 60). The hearing commenced as scheduled on May 7, 2018, at which time the Government presented testimony from San Diego County Sheriff's Deputy Eric Mitchell and Town of Cheektowaga Police Sergeant Shawn McAdams, and it began the direct testimony of Erie County Sheriff's Deputy Adam Day. (Dkt. 68). Although initially scheduled to continue on May 17, 2018, Judge McCarthy adjourned the evidentiary hearing at the request of defense counsel, to July 13, 2018. (Dkt. 69; Dkt. 70; Dkt. 71).

This Court vacated the referral to Judge McCarthy, in order to ensure that pretrial proceedings were completed in time for the trial date of November 7, 2018, as discussed on the record at an appearance before the undersigned on May 17, 2018. (Dkt. 74; Dkt. 75). However, the referral remained in place with respect to Defendant's motion to suppress evidence and statements from his July 20, 2015, encounter with law enforcement at the San Diego International Airport. (Dkt. 72; Dkt. 73; Dkt. 74).1 The evidentiary hearing remained scheduled for July 13, 2018, but was set to continue before the undersigned. (Dkt. 72; Dkt. 73; Dkt. 74).

On July 13, 2018, the suppression hearing continued before the undersigned with the completion of testimony from Deputy *145Day and the presentation of testimony from Drug Enforcement Agency ("DEA") Special Agent Christopher Wisniewski. (Dkt. 94). Defendant elected not to present any witnesses at the hearing, instead relying on his written declaration dated December 4, 2017. (Dkt. 35-3). Both parties submitted post-hearing memoranda on September 4, 2018 (Dkt. 111; Dkt. 113), and reply memoranda on September 7, 2018 (Dkt. 116; Dkt. 117).

FINDINGS OF FACT

A. Credibility Determinations

Making factual findings necessarily requires this Court to resolve factual disputes concerning Defendant's interactions with law enforcement on May 15, 2017. The Court had the opportunity to view Deputy Day and Agent Wisniewski testify during direct and cross-examination. In contrast, Defendant submitted a declaration wherein he states, in sworn statements, a strikingly different version of events as compared to Deputy Day's and Agent Wisniewski's testimony.

The Court found credible the testimony of both Deputy Day and Agent Wisniewski. The Court did not have the opportunity to evaluate Defendant's credibility through live testimony. Although Defendant submitted a sworn declaration, he was not subjected to cross-examination to test his version of events. See California v. Green , 399 U.S. 149, 158, 90 S.Ct. 1930, 26 L.Ed.2d 489 (1970) (Cross-examination is "the 'greatest legal engine ever invented for the discovery of truth.' ") (quoting 5 J. Wigmore, Evidence § 1367 (3d ed. 1940) ). Moreover, the documentary evidence, including importantly the dash camera video reflecting the exchanges with Defendant following his arrest (see Govt. Ex.2 10), contradicts Defendant's claims that he requested and was denied medical treatment following his arrest-a critical allegation that Defendant relies on in support of his suppression motion. Thus, while the Court has considered Defendant's declaration, the Court affords greater weight to the live testimony from the law enforcement witnesses presented by the Government. See, e.g., United States v. Choudhry , 24 F.Supp.3d 273, 275 n.1 (E.D.N.Y. 2014) (court may rely on hearsay and other evidence at suppression hearing, even though it would not be admissible at trial, but distinguishing that from hearsay contained in a non-testifying defendant's affidavit); United States v. Paulino , No. 12 Cr. 799(RA), 2013 WL 2237532, at *4 (S.D.N.Y. May 21, 2013) (placing greater weight on live testimony of law enforcement witnesses than defendant's declaration); United States v. Miller

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Bluebook (online)
338 F. Supp. 3d 139, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-lucas-nywd-2018.